Undocumented Dnfs

[+Jamie Z]

We all log our DNFs, don't we? At least that's what all the threads about DNFs would have you think, but of course that's not what happens.

 

This thread is for those logs which admit prior defeat, yet the person never ever logged it. As usual, I would prefer editorials about the logs be posted elsewhere.

 

All of these are on the same cache:

 

July 20, 2002 by CACHER (881 found)

Found it today. Tried a day ago, but too many people around to give it a real search. Thanks for showing me another great train depot.

August 25, 2002 by CACHER (44 found)

4th try. Right where the clue said it was. I'd go after this one when not so many people around otherwise you will be hurrying and miss it.

September 22, 2002 by CACHER (7 found)

Finally! I drive right by this cache and have jumped out of the truck to look for it twice but never had the time to look hard. Today I made a dedicated trip and found it pretty quick. I learned a lesson also. Use a compass when compass rose headings are used in the description of the cache! Thanks a bunch. This is a nice spot.

September 29, 2002 by CACHER (227 found)

Found it.. Second try.. Too late at night first time.. Walked right to it this time. Took a friend and introduced him to Geocaching. He thought it was a blast!! Took nothing, Left nothing but a short log book entry. Thanks! This is # 11 for me. What a great fun sport/hobby!

January 20, 2003 by CACHER (27 found)

TNLNSL - Thanks for the hunt - Had to visit this one twice first time at night no find easy in daytime.

September 14, 2003 by CACHER (40 found)

Came by after missing this one a little more than a year ago and found it as we turned to walk away yet again! After reading the logs, we see that others had trouble with it as well. Now we feel a little less stupid. :-) Maybe we should've paid more attention to the fine print: this is a micro cache, or start reading the cheats.

TNLN, however there is little paper left in logbook and cache is quite damp.

Happy to cross this one off the list.

August 7 by CACHER (210 found)

I stopped by this one (again) today to see if I could have some success. I believe this marks the third attempt over the course of about 9 months. I found it after a short search. I swear I looked in this same spot last time. Great location. I signed the cache page like the others have done. There is currently a superball attached to the container. Thanks for bringing me here. TNLNSL.

 

That's eleven confirmed DNFs for this cache. Coincidently, the cache page contains eleven DNFs, but none of them are from the cachers above. Heh.

 

Jamie

Edited November 1, 2004 by Jamie Z

[+Snoogans]

Some of my favorite geocaching memories are of DNF's. I ALWAYS log mine even if I turned back and never got near it.

 

People come up to me at events and tell me they had to turn back on my Row versus Wade (5 Star Terrain) cache because of conditions making it hard to get to it. Some of these are really funny stories, but they never seem to make the page. I don't get it either......

 

Oh, linky, linky.

Edited November 1, 2004 by Snoogans

[+globalgirl]

Isn't it just a matter of differing definitions of "DNF"? Especially on tough multis with many gnarly wpts, it may well take several trips to "F" the cache. And even the single traditionals. Just depends on your hunting timeline. One can stay and keep looking , or leave and return again for another try. Only when/until I've utterly given up on trying to find it, will I post a DNF.

 

IOW, just a matter of whether you define DNF for each and every attempt, vs. eventual utter defeat. Some people post DNFs for each of the former, while some posts notes for each attempt. Still others wait until they've either given up entirely, else finally nabbed it. Viva la difference!

 

But in any case, I do agree that posting SOMETHING (as in your many examples) regarding the number of attempts, difficulty encountered, etc. is helpful for those yet to try. And actually I have a pal who deliberately posts DNFs when stumped 'cuz it generally elicits a barrage of kindly sympathy hints by private note. Brilliant strategy, no?

[+DustyJacket]

Edited to remove - off topic thoughts and experiences.

Edited November 1, 2004 by DustyJacket

[+Jamie Z]

Please post your opinions of DNFs and explanations and excuses and stuff in the Geocaching Topics forum. Lord knows there are plenty of threads about that there.

 

This topic is for posting examples of undocumented DNFs for our reading pleasure.

 

Another:

 

October 31 by CACHER (181 found)

Whew! How tough was this one? 4 tries! Even after I finally spotted it from a different angle, I still had to consult another different angle to actually retrieve it! So simple, yet so crafty! Thanks to CACHER for confirming my suspicions, and CACHER, I didn't view the spoiler!

 

Four tries... one log.

 

Jamie

[+Kit Fox]

I went four times to a 1/1 in a cemetary. I only had few minutes to search, before I headed into work on the first three occasions, otherwise I would have spent more time actually looking. I checked the website and found out that the coords were off by over 60 feet. I was nowhere near the cache. With the the corrected coords, I walked right to it.

 

Am I ashamed for not logging 3 DNFs? No. Total time spent looking for the cache on all four occasions was 15 minutes.

 

I also mentioned in another of my logs that I spent 20 minutes in the dark, with a flashlight, trying to find the cache but couldn't. When I returned at noon (same day), I spotted it easily. In the above scenario, I was cut short, because I didn't want to be late for work.

[+The Leprechauns]

All of these are from the same cache.

 

  October 27 by CACHER1 (100 found)

Great Multi. Took a few trips for stage one. I wasn't thinking "outside the box" I guess. ... Thanks for the hide. It was enlightening.

 

  September 4 by CACHER2 (16 found)

OK! Finally! It took us three trips over a period of 4 months......and yes, several of us touched stage one on every trip! The third time took us less than a minute since after much contemplation it had to be what it was!

 

  March 23 by CACHER3 (227 found)[/b]

What an awesome first stage! I looked a few months ago with XYZ and obviously came up empty, but I never logged it.

 

My first attempt had me looking in the wrong place, but even then, I know for a fact, I touched the cache.

 

With inspired hope from the recent finds, I set out this cold morning. My GPSr now placed me next to the cache. I found the first stage after a few minutes.

 

Thanks for #100!

 

TNLNSL

 

  December 23, 2003 by CACHER4 (117 found)

Looked... and looked... and looked... and looked... and looked... and looked... and looked... and found it!

I can say that I was at the first stage on 3 different days including today and on every single one of those days I actually touched the cache without knowing it. Unbelievable.

 

Today when we were at the first stage I touched it again and in a matter of seconds looked away then looked back and ZZZ had the coordinates in his hand.

 

The second stage was found pretty quickly. Both times the coordinates were right on.

 

Thanks for the fun. I am happy that I will be able to sleep tonight without trying to mentally search that area in my dreams.

 

What makes these logs fun, as well as the many other DNF's actually recorded on the cache, are other logs such as this one:

 

September 10 by CCCooperAgency (7192 found)

Part 1 was a quick cache & dash as I'm quite familiar with this container.